Employment Verification Frequently Asked Questions

What is The Work Number used for? 

  • Housing 
  • Loans (Mortgage, Vehicle, Personal, etc.) 
  • Social Services 
  • Potential employers 

What is The Work Number not used for? 

  • Background investigations 
  • Job descriptions 
  • Buyback of retirement 
  • Verification of hours 
  • Probability of rehire 
  • Performance reviews 
  • References 

What information is provided to The Work Number? 
Data available to verifiers includes: 

  • Employee name 
  • Most recent hire date 
  • Termination date (if no longer employed) 
  • Total time with company 
  • Job title 
  • Rate of pay 

How do I get a User ID and PIN? 

This can be retrieved by visiting the work number website: https://theworknumber.com/
Select ‘Manage My Employment Data’ in the upper right-hand corner.
Step 1: Identify Your Employer
After clicking Sign Up, select ‘I’m not a robot’ before continuing. Enter the employer code associated with your employer (16442) or search for your employer by name.

Step 2: Log In and Confirm Your Identity
First-time users select the ‘Register Now’ option. 
You will be required to provide additional data for authentication (i.e., first/last name, home address, contact information), and you will need to complete a one-time passcode challenge. 

After authentication, you will create a personal User ID and Password.to reset logins for employees if needed. 

How and when do I need to create a Salary Key? 

In most instances, the employee’s consent to have income verified is attained by the verifier during the application process. However, an additional consent mechanism available through The Work Number is the Salary Key. 
 
Step 1: Access www.theworknumber.com/employees (or call 800-367-2884).

Step 2: Click ‘Sign Up For Access’ if you do not have an account.
*If you already have an account, click ‘Log in Here’.

Step 3: Under ‘Find your employer below’, enter the employer code 16442 in the search bar and select ‘I’m not a robot’.

Step 4: Select ‘Pennsylvania State University’ within the pop-up box.

Step 5: Click the red ‘Select Employer’ button.

Step 6: Enter User ID and click ‘Continue>’.

Step 7: Enter Password and click the ‘Log In’ button.

Step 8: Review your security contact preferences before clicking ‘Continue>’, then click ‘Save’ if your preferences are correct.

Step 9: Click on ‘Grant Access to Salary Info’ on the Home screen.

Step 10: Click on ‘Generate A Salary Key’.

Step 11: After the Salary Key is generated, click on the dropdown arrow located beside the ‘ACTIVE’ icon.

Step 12: Select the method in which you would like to receive the instructions (Email or PDF).

I am a new hire, but do not yet have payroll data in the system? 

Data for new employees or “future” hires will not appear until a payroll is run that includes pay they receive. Paperwork must process completely through the system before data appears. Confirmation of your employment date of hire and/or hours worked can be verified by the employee's supervisor or HR Strategic Partner.  

Why does my monthly income not match my YTD total? 

This could be because of a salary increase, promotion or demotion, supplemental pay, bonuses, commission, temporary transfer rates for technical-service employees, or a combination of any of these. Confirmation of these additional forms of compensation can be confirmed by the employee's supervisor or HR Strategic Partner.  

Why is my hire date incorrect? 

This could be due to: 

  • Break in service 
  • Part-time to full-time 
  • Fixed Term I that expired and the new appointment has not finalized 
  • Change in appointment type 
  • Input error

*If an employee disagrees with date of hire, a dispute can be filed via the Work Number Dispute Process. 

I have two concurrent hourly rates; why is only one showing? 

The information provided, is only covering your primary assignment with Penn State. Data for multiple assignments is not captured.  If you feel your hourly rate is incorrect you should contact Penn State HR Services team by calling 814-856-1473. 

What is a social service verification?

Employees may be eligible for public assistance through a variety of social service agencies. Employees apply for benefits through these organizations, and those agencies verify eligibility based for these income-qualified services. Thousands of agency verifiers nationwide regularly use The Work Number to perform employment and income verifications on their applicants and program participants. Agencies can perform verification at www.theworknumber.com. 
 
Examples of Social Service Programs: 

  • Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, formerly Food Stamps) 
  • Temporary Aid to Needy Families (TANF) 
  • Medicaid 
  • Women, Infants and Children (WIC) 
  • Subsidized Housing Program 
  • Welfare-to-Work Programs 

State agencies and agency names may vary. State agencies will receive the following information; name, address, YTD earnings and two past year gross earnings totals, Medical / Dental Insurance Status & Carrier (if provided to The Work Number), last 12 pay period dates, hours worked, and gross wages.